The History of the Transparent Contemplation of Samantabhadra as Portrayed in Jamyang Sönam Gyeltsen’s Garland of Jewels — Part I — The Contemplative Transmission of the Buddhas

Jean-Luc Achard
(CNRS, CRCAO)

Edited by Marianne Ginalski

The first volume of the Compilation of Northern Treasures (Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs) contains an interesting proto-historical work dealing with the origins, early transmission, and revelation of the central treasure cycle of Jangter known as The Transparent Contemplation of Samantabhadra (Kun bzang dgongs pa zang thal). This text has been composed by Jamyang Sönam Gyeltsen1 and is entitled The History of the Lineage, the Garland of Jewels (brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i ‘phreng ba).2 The narrative given in the text is rather classical but it is also a departure from similar works in terms of several details and transmission schemes. In general, the history of cycles belonging to the Precepts Section (Man ngag sde) is organized according to three main lineages of transmission:

  1. the Contemplative Transmission of the Victorious Ones (rgyal ba dgongs brgyud),
  2. the Symbolic Transmission of Knowledge-Holders (rig ‘dzin brda rgyud), and
  3. the Oral Transmission of Great Beings (gang zag snyan brgyud).3

This of course also applies to the present text except that these lines of transmission are not precisely defined and do not follow with accuracy the details of the traditional history as for instance recorded in other Heart Drops (sNying thig) cycles. There are also several elements that will certainly seem unusual to readers reasonably accustomed to the “standard” histories of the Precepts Section (Man ngag sde) as we shall see below.

I have divided the following summary of Sönam Gyeltsen’s text in 10 sections, namely: 1. the Contemplative Transmission of the Buddhas; 2. the entrustment of the teachings to Garab Dorje, Indra, and Tröma Nakmo; 3. the transmission given to Mañjuśrīmitra; 4. the transmission given to Śrī Siṃha; 5. the advent of Vimalamitra, Padmasambhava, and Vairocana; 6. the entrustment of the teachings during Imperial Tibet;4 7. the initial treasure discovery of Zangpo Drakpa; 8. Rigdzin Gödem’s Revelation from Zangzang Lhadrak;5 9. the defense of the Northern Treasures; and 10. further lineage holders.

1. The Contemplative Transmission of the Buddhas

In the palace of the Absolute Space, i.e., in the utterly pure sanctuary of Akaniṣṭha, the primordial Buddha “Immutable Light”,6 also known as the glorious Samantabhadra, was staying in the state of Contemplation (dgongs pa), free from arising, abiding and ceasing, beyond the two extremes of existence and non-existence.7 He manifested himself in an immaterial mode, like the reflection of the moon on water, or like a rainbow shining in the sky. Absorbed in the immutable equality of his Heart,8 he let the dynamism of his own Wisdom arise as the Buddhas of the Enjoyment Body, i.e., the five Clans of peaceful and wrathful Victorious Ones.9 These Buddhas appeared in union with their consort, surrounded by their own Entourage.

From the state of his Compassion, Samantabhadra emanated the victorious one Mahā Vajradhara who is also known as Vajrasattva.10 The latter did not stray from the state of Contemplation, in which he remained in the utterly limpid condition of Reality.11 In his omniscience, he was endowed with the six kinds of foreknowledge (mngon shes drug),12 and excelled in the methods of Compassion. The primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, in the form of the “Great Immutable Light” (‘Od mi ‘gyur ba chen po) addressed him with these words:13

You who have rendered your Wisdom of Self-Awareness14 manifest
And is known as the self-arisen Vajrasattva,15
You are in a pure realm of the Enjoyment (Body)!
O Vajrasattva, son of my Heart!
Open the door leading to the Treasury of the Absolute Body16
And reveal the Methods that shall instantaneously liberate
The sentient beings revolving in the six destinies.17

As soon as he had spoken these verses, from the pure realms of the Enjoyment Body, incalculable myriads of emanations belonging to the Vajra clan instantaneously manifested themselves in the pure realm of the Absolute Body and assembled before Samantabhadra, i.e., unsubstantial Awareness itself. They were headed by Mahā Vajradhara, Vajrasattva and the compiler Vajrapāṇi, as well as emanated Bodhisattvas. They addressed Samantabhadra in the following terms:18

Kyema!19 O fully liberated Buddha Orb of Lights!
We, your Heart-Sons of Awareness,
And the (fortunate ones) of the retinue of the Vajra clan,
We request the direct introduction to the authentic principle
Of the teachings on the Vision of Manifest Reality!20
Please establish the sentient beings revolving in the six migrations21
In the pure realm of the Absolute Body!
O Victorious One, we pray you to prophesize
What kind of persons this Revelation is aimed at! 

At that time, Samantabhadra abided in the state filled with the five-colored displays of his own Wisdom of Awareness and taught the Tantra of the Overflowing Realization of Samantabhadra’s Heart (Kun tu bzang po’i thugs kyi klong rdol ba’i rgyud) containing the fifteen thousand seed-syllables expressing the self-arisen Absolute Body.22

Furthermore, in order to guide beings according to their level of delusion, he taught the hundred thousand verses of the Tantra on the Natural Liberation of Mind Itself (Sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud), which clearly explains the principles of the Base (gzhi).23

To have sentient beings contemplate their own Absolute Body, he taught The Tantra that Reveals Awareness in its Natural Clarity (Rig pa rang gsal du bstan pa’i rgyud) which clearly establishes the principles of the Path (lam) in three thousand verses.24

With his own Awareness, he taught the Tantra Revealing Wisdom (Ye shes bstan pa’i rgyud) with its four thousand verses directly revealing the Fruit (‘bras bu).25

He then taught the Tantra Similar to a Beacon (sGron me lta bu’i rgyud) which completes the teachings unraveling the hidden precepts of the above topics, in one thousand and five hundred verses.26

He then bestowed the “seal of entrustment” (gtad rgya), by saying:27

O Supreme Adamantine Emanation,
Take hold of this secret Treasury of my Heart!
Then, in one hundred and twenty thousand years,
As a qualified vessel appearing in a timely manner
You will come as an Emanation Body to the lands of gods and men
And all the Tantras of the Great Perfection’s precepts
Will be entrusted to you, fortunate one!
(…)28

[To be continued in part II]

 *

Bibliography
1. Tibetan sources

Klong chen pa (Dri med ‘od zer, 1308–1364)
Lo rgyus rin po che’i phreng ba, in Bla ma yang tig, vol. 1, sNying thig ya bzhi, vol. 1, Delhi, ed. by Sherab Gyaltsen Lama, 1975, pp. 84-134.

Khang gsar bsTan pa’i dbang phyug
Padma mkha’ ‘gro’i thugs thig las/ rDzogs pa chen po sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud kyi ‘grel pa ye shes ‘od snang zhes bya ba, in Khang gsar bstan pa’i dbang phyug gi gsung ‘bu, Beijing, Mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2005, vol. 4, pp. 171-298.
rDzogs pa chen po sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud kyi bsdus don brgyud gsum gdams mdzod phye ba’i lde mig ces bya ba, in ib., pp. 299-308.

‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan (14th-15th c.)
brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i ‘phreng ba, Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 1, pp. 43-71.

Padma Las ‘brel rtsal (1291–1319)
sNying thig chen mo’i rgyab chos kyi rtsa ba, in mKha’ ‘gro snying thig, vol. 1, sNying thig ya bzhi, vol. X, Delhi, 1976, pp. 411-474.

Rig ‘dzin rGod ldem (1336–1408)
Yid ches brgyud pa’i lo rgyus stong thun gyi spyi chings chen mo, in Kun tu bzang po’i dgongs pa zang thal du bstan pa’i chos skor, vol. 1, published by the Sim la Thub bstan rdo rje brag e wam lcog sgar chos sde, based on the A ‘dzom blocks, Simla, 1973, pp. 3-25.
Ye shes chen po bstan pa’i phyi ma rgyud, in Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, pp. 645-659.
Ye shes rang la gnas pa’i rtsa ba’i rgyud, in Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, pp. 631-643.
Rig pa rang gsal gyi rgyud, in Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, pp. 617-629.

2. Western sources

Achard, Jean-Luc
— “A Line of Transmission of the dGongs pa zang thal according to the History of the Lineage known as the Garland of Gems (brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i ‘phreng ba),” in Northern Treasures Histories, 21/02/2023, https://fchnt.hypotheses.org/1166.
—“The Location of Zang zang lha brag according to Se ston Padma dbang chen’s General Presentation of the Northern Treasures and the Concealment of the Treasures”, in Northern Treasures Histories, 03/04/2023, https://fchnt.hypotheses.org/1305.

Düdjom Rinpoche, Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje
The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Its Fundamentals and History, Translated and edited by Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1991.

Østensen, Morten
In the Presence of the Dharmakāya, Dzogchen Practice According to Khangsar Tenpe Wangchug’s Notes on Dza Paltrul’s Extraordinary Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King (mkhas pa shrī rgyal po’i khyad chos), MA Thesis, Kathmandu University, Centre for Buddhist Studies (Rangjung Yeshe Institute), Fall 2008, 97 pages.

Tulku Thondup Rinpoche
Hidden Teachings of Tibet, An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of the Nyingma School of Buddhism, Wisdom Publications, London, 1986.

*

  1. On this personage, see Achard, “A Line of Transmission of the dGongs pa zang thal according to the History of the Lineage known as the Garland of Gems (brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i ‘phreng ba)”. The identification with the well-known sa skya master of the same name is problematic since the dates that are traditionally attributed to him (1563–1617) conflict with the chronology he himself introduces at the end of his work. []
  2. See the bibliography in fine under the name of ‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan. []
  3. This is the scheme followed by Klong chen pa (1308–1364), in several of his works. See inter alia, his Lo rgyus rin po che’i phreng ba, in the Bla ma yang tig. It is the same in the dGongs pa zang thal: see for instance, Rig ‘dzin rgod ldem, Yid ches brgyud pa’i lo rgyus stong thun gyi spyi chings chen mo, p. 6. According to Düdjom Rinpoche (and the sources he uses), the three transmissions respectively correspond to the lineages of Victorious Ones, bodhisattvas, and yogins (see Düdjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School, p. 447). The first line of transmission is defined as “Contemplative” because it was given through the state of Contemplation (dgongs pa), without uttering a single word. The second line is described as “Symbolic” or transmitted through symbols (brdas brgyud pa) because Knowledge-Holders (rig ‘dzin, corresponding to the category of bodhisattvas in Düdjom Rinpoche’s The Nyingma School referred to above) used specific symbols to illustrate the natural state and transmit the knowledge associated with it. Then, the third line is that of “individuals” (gang zag) who used oral transmission (snyan brgyud) to communicate that knowledge and all its related secret precepts. We will see below that other modes of transmission are used in the revealed literature. See Tulku Thondup, Hidden Teachings of Tibet, p. 102 et seq. []
  4. The sections 2 to 6 cover the Symbolic Transmission of the Knowledge-Holders. []
  5. On Zang zang lha brag, see Achard, ““The Location of Zang zang lha brag according to Se ston Padma dbang chen’s General Presentation of the Northern Treasures and the Concealment of the Treasures”. []
  6. ‘Od mi ‘gyur ba. This name of the primordial Buddha is like a code referring to the twofold abiding mode of the natural state (gnas lugs), namely Emptiness (stong) and Clarity (gsal). Thus, his “Immutable” aspect (mi ‘gyur ba’i cha) refers to the empty Essence (ngo bo stong pa) of this state, while his “Light” aspect (‘od cha) points to its luminous Nature (rang bzhin gsal ba). Samantabhadra therefore concretely embodies the two modalities of the natural state of the Mind (sems nyid kyi gnas lugs). []
  7. This state does not arise from any cause, does not abide anywhere, and does not cease in any way whatsoever. It is beyond being and non-being, transcending dualities such as existence and no existence, and so forth. []
  8. This equality is that of the perfect balance between Emptiness and Clarity (stong gsal) which are entirely nondifferentiated (dbyer med). []
  9. These five Clans (rigs lnga) are those of the Buddha (sangs rgyas), of the Diamond (rdo rje), of the Lotus (padma), of the Jewel (rin chen), and of Karma (las). []
  10. The identification of Vajradhara and Vajrasattva is not an innovation of the narration given in the present text. Actually, Vajradhara should be understood as the dharmakāya source of Vajrasattva (himself a saṃbhogakāya). Both are the peaceful emanation source of Vajrapāṇi, their wrathful form on the level of the nirmāṇakāya. In other works, such as the mKha’ ‘gro snying thig, Samantabhadra is considered as a dharmakāya, while Vajradhara is his emanation on the saṃbhogakāya level, and Vajrasattva the latter’s emanation on the nirmāṇakāya level. See for instance, Padma Las ‘brel rtsal, sNying thig chen mo’i rgyab chos kyi rtsa ba, p. 470. []
  11. This condition is that of nondifferentiated Emptiness and Clarity (stong gsal dbyer med) that defines the true abiding mode of the natural state. []
  12. There exist several lists enumerating these special faculties. A frequent one gives: 1. the divine eye, 2. the divine ear, 3. the capacity to read the mind of other beings, 4. the capacity to remember former lives, 5. the capacity to perform miraculous feats, and 6. the capacity to exhaust all imperfections. []
  13. P. 46: rang rig ye shes mngon gyur pa/ /rang byung rdo rje sems dpa’ zhes/ /longs spyod rdzogs pa’i zhing na yod/ /thugs sras rdo rje sems dpa’ khyod/ /chos sku’i mdzod kyi sgo phye la/ /rgyud drug ‘khor ba’i sems can rnams/ /dus gcig grol ba’i thabs ston cig/. []
  14. This modality of Wisdom (ye shes) is that which discerns (rig) its own natural state abiding as the nondifferentiation of Emptiness and Clarity. []
  15. He is styled as self-arisen (rang byung) because he is not born of a cause or a matrix, an egg, and so forth. He has been spontaneously emanated by the primordial Buddha himself. []
  16. In this context, the expression chos sku’i mdzod refers to the teachings of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen). []
  17. rGyud drug, literally “the six continuums”, i.e., the destinies of the gods, demi-gods, men, animals, hungry ghosts, and denizens of hells. []
  18. P. 46: / kye ma/ rnam par grol ba’i sangs rgyas ‘od kyi phung po/ bdag cag rig pa thugs kyi sras/ /rdo rje rigs kyi ‘khor rnams (p. 47) la/ /chos nyid mngon sum snang ba’i chos/ /yang dag don gyi ngo sprod zhu/ /’gro drug ‘khor ba’i sems can rnams/ /chos sku’i zhing la ‘god par gyis/ /bstan pa’i gang zag ji lta bu/ /rgyal bas lung bstan mdzad du gsol/. []
  19. Kye ma is an interjection used to draw the attention of the interlocutor. []
  20. This refers to special teachings of Thögel (thod rgal) in which one is introduced to the visionary nature of one’s Awareness. This vision is the first of the system known as that of the Four Visions (snang ba bzhi) that structures the path of Thögel. The three other visions are the Vision of Increasing Luminous Experiences (nyams snang gong ‘phel gyi snang ba), the Vision of the Full Measure of Awareness (rig pa tshad phebs kyi snang ba), and the Vision of the Exhaustion of Reality (chos nyid zad pa’i snang ba). []
  21. ‘Gro drug. See note 17 above. []
  22. This Tantra does not seem to be included in the rNying ma rgyud ‘bum editions available to me at the time of writing this note. It may be included in collections that I have not investigated yet. []
  23. The reference is most certainly anachronical but the only Tantra of that name that I know of is a revelation by bDe gshegs gling pa (1842–1907) who was a student of Nyag bla Padma bdud ‘dul (1816–1872). This Tantra has been recently commented by Khang gsar bsTan pa’i dbang phyug in his gSung ‘bum, vol. 4, pp. 171-298 under the title Padma mkha’ ‘gro’i thugs thig las/ rDzogs pa chen po sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud kyi ‘grel pa ye shes ‘od snang zhes bya ba. It is followed by an abridgement entitled rDzogs pa chen po sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud kyi bsdus don brgyud gsum gdams mdzod phye ba’i lde mig ces bya ba, ib., pp. 299-308. The combined study of the root-tantra, its commentary and structural abridgement definitely shows that the root-text itself is by no means limited to the topic of the Base. Rather, it covers the entire system of Base, Path, and Fruit according to the Man ngag sde tradition. Note that M. Østensen mentions a commentary of this Tantra (Sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud kyi ‘grel pa) authored by Nam sprul ‘Jigs med phun tshogs and Tā re lha mo; see Østensen, In the Presence of the Dharmakāya, p. 39 n. 45. []
  24. This Tantra does not seem to be available either. There is a Tantra of the Natural Clarity of Awareness (Rig pa rang gsal gyi rgyud) in the dGongs pa zang thal (vol. 2, pp. 617-629). It is closer to three hundred verses than three thousand but does indeed  deal with some topics associated with the Path: its three chapters tackle: 1. the natural state of Awareness (rig pa’i gnas lugs); 2. the direct path of Vajrasattva (rdo rje sems dpa’i gseng lam); and 3. the direct introduction to one’s perceptions as pertaining to Wisdom (rang snang ye shes su ngo sprad pa). []
  25. I have not been able to identify this Tantra yet. There is however a Subsequent Tantra Revealing the Great Wisdom (Ye shes chen po bstan pa’i phyi ma rgyud) in the dGongs pa zang thal (vol. 2, pp. 645-659) which is apparently the “continuation” (phyi ma) of The Root-Tantra of Wisdom Naturally Abiding Within Us (Ye shes rang la gnas pa’i rtsa ba’i rgyud), in ib., pp. 631-643. []
  26. This Tantra has not been identified yet. []
  27. On such a seal, see T. Thondup, Hidden Teachings of Tibet, p. 66. See also Achard, Le Tantra du Précieux Amoncellement, p. 115. []
  28. P. 47 : /mchog gi sprul pa rdo rje ste/ /thugs kyi gsang mdzod ‘di long la/ /de nas lo ‘bum nyi khri na/ /lha mi’i yul du sprul pa’i sku/ /dus la babs pa’i snod ldan ‘byung / /man ngag rdzogs pa chen po’i rgyud/ /thams cad las can de la gtod/ (…). []

OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Jean-Luc Achard (March 3, 2025). The History of the Transparent Contemplation of Samantabhadra as Portrayed in Jamyang Sönam Gyeltsen’s Garland of Jewels — Part I — The Contemplative Transmission of the Buddhas. Northern Treasures Histories. Retrieved April 21, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/13erq


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